Movable dam structure



May 24, 1938. H. E. SMYSER MOVABLE DAM STRUCTURE Fild Jul 1, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I I IN VENTOR HARRY E. SMYSER ATTORNE May 24,1938. H E -ER 2,118,118

MOVABLE DAM STRUCTURE Filed July 3:, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 INVENTOR HARRY E. SMYSER W a W ATTORNEY May 24, 1938. H. E. SMYSER MOVABLE DAM STRUCTURE 4 sheets-sheet 5 Filed July 1, 1937 INVENTTOR HARRY E. SMYSER- 4m.

BY '3 ATTORNEY May 24, 1938. H. E.'SMYSER' 2,118,118

MOVABLE DAM STRUCTURE Filed July 1, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 HARRY E. SMYSE R INVENTOR W AQW ATTORNEY Patented May 24, 1938 PATENT OFFHIE MOVABLE DAM STRUCTURE Harry E. Smyser, York, Pa., assignor to S. Morgan Smith Company, York, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 1, 1937, Serial No. 151,377

3 Claims.

This invention relates to dams and more particularly to movable dam structures of the roller type.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved movable dam structure in which the damming element consists of a front wall formed of flat sheets of plate steel, which wall is supported from a rotatable hexagonally shaped torsion-proof skeleton frame adapted to be operated from only one end.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved movable damstructure of the above type in which the front damming wall consists of a central substantially vertically disposed section and upper and lower rearwardly inclined sections, all of the sections of the front wall being supported from a skeleton framework hexagonally shaped in cross section, and one of the sides of which abuts the central section of the front wall and has substantially the same width as the width of the central section of the front wall.

With the foregoing and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the preferred construction and arrangement of the several parts which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:-

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a movable dam structure embodying the present invention, the supporting structure therefor being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, the movable dam structure comprises a front wall II formed of three sections, including a central section I2, an upper section l3 and a lower section [4. When the device is in damming position, as shown in Fig. 3, the central section I2 is adapted to be substantially vertically disposed, and the upper and lower sections I2 and M, respectively, are adapted to extend at an angle rearwardly or downstream from the central section I2.

For the purpose of supporting the front wall II, I utilize a structural steel framework l5 which is hexagonal in cross section.

The framework I5 has a front side IE, to which is secured the central section I 2 of the front wall II, and five other sides, indicated at I1, l8, I9, 20 and 2i, Fig. 3. The sides of said framework each have a breadth corresponding substantially to the breadth of the central section I2.

A double system of triangularly disposed bars is employed for reinforcing the framework I5.

Thus, the adjoining end portions of the sec tions l1 and [B are connected to the adjoining end portions of the sections i6 and 2! by bars 22 and to the adjoining end portions of the sections !9 and 28 by bars 23.

The adjoining end portions of the sections 56 and 2| are connected to the adjoining end portions of the sections 19 and 20 by bars 24.

V The bars 22, 23 and 24 are arranged in the form of a triangle.

The adjoining end portions of the sections 16 and I! are connected tothe adjoining end portions of the sections 20 and 2: by bars 25, and to the adjoining end portions of the sections l8 and I9 by bars 26.

The adjoining end portions of the sections i8 and i9 are connected to the adjoining end portions of the sections 20 and 2| by bars 27.

The bars 25, 26 and 21 are arranged in the form of a triangle, similar in size to the triangle formed by the bars 22, 23 and 24, said triangles, however, being so disposed within the device that the apexes thereof are disposed equal distances apart and the sides of one triangle cross the sides of the other triangle in such a manner that a hexagonally shaped opening is formed longitudinally through the center of the device by the bars 22 to .21, inclusive, as shown in Fig. 3. The braces 22 to 21, inclusive, are all of substantially the same length and connect the apexes of the several sides of the hexagonally shaped framework.

The sections l3 and M of the front wall of the device are supported from the framework l5 by struts 28 and 29, respectively.

Mounted on each end of the framework 15 are cylindrical end sections 30 and 3! (see Fig. 2) in the form of drums.

Both end sections 30 and 3| carry toothed segments, indicated at 32 and 33, respectively,the teeth of which segments are adapted to mesh with the teeth of inclined tracks 34 and 35, respectively, so as to guide the movable dam structure in a straight path when the same is being raised or lowered.

The movable dam structure is adapted to be raised and lowered by rolling the same up and down the inclined tracks 34 and 35, said structure being operated only from one end by means of a chain 36 (Fig. 3), the upper end of which is connected to suitable hoisting mechanism (not shown). The double triangularly shaped framework |5 has sufficient strength to resist being .a parallel action of two driving mechanisms.

Thus, the hexagonal framework I5 constitutes a torsion-proof shaft by which the movable dam structure can be turned.

As shown in Fig. 1 the frontwall of the device A may be readily formed from platesteel sheets 31.

In fact, the whole device, with the exception of the toothed segments 32 and 33, and the toothed tracks 34 and 35, can be constructed from structural steel shapes in the form of channels, angles, beams, and sheets of plate steel, the several parts being united into an integral structure by welding the joints therebetween.

The end sections 30 and 3| are connected to the extremities of the framework l5 by brackets 38, as shown in Fig. 4, said brackets preferably being formed from plate steel sheets and angles.

At each end; the movable. dam structure carries a flap 39 (Figs. 3 and 4) adapted to engage the adjacent wall structure of the dam and thereby seal the joints between the ends of the movable dam structure and the wall structure.

Also, the lower edge of the section M is formed with a sealing strip 40 for engaging the sill of the dam and thereby seal the joint along the bottom of the movable dam structure.

The movable dam structure is adapted to be disposed transversely across a stream, being confined between stationary end walls 4| and 42, as

shown in Fig. 1. In cases where the breadth of the streams are extensive, two or more, movable dam structures may be employed, and in such instances the intermediate stationary end walls can be in the form of piers with niches on the opposite sides thereof for the end portions of the movable V As shown in Fig. 3 the end drums 3% and 3| each have a diameter larger than the hexagonal framework l5, said drums being concentrically disposed with respect to said framework. The

upper and lower sections i3 and [4 of the front wall H extend upwardly and. downwardly, respectively, suitable distances beyond the peripheries of the end drums 30 and 3| so that the dam.- ming height of the device is somewhat in excess of the height of the supporting structure of the front wall II.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A movable dam structure comprising a front wall having a fiat central longitudinal section adapted to be disposed in a substantially vertical plane when the dam is in damming position, upper and lower flat sections connected to the upper and lower longitudinal edges respectively of said central section and inclined rearwardly at an angle thereto, a skeleton framework substantially hexagonal in cross section for supporting said front wall sections, one side: of said framework abutting said central longitudinal section of the front wall and being substantially coextensive therewith, struts connecting the upper and lower inclined sections of said front wall with said framework, a double series of triangularly disposed brace bars within said framework, all of said brace bars being of substantially the same length and connecting the apexes of the hexagonally shaped framework, a cylindrical drum at each end of said framework, atrack structure for each drum, and means for moving the drums o the tracks. I V

2. A movable dam structure comprising a front wall having a plurality of flat angularly disposed surfaces, a skeleton framework substantially hexagonal in' cross section and having one of its sides abutting one of the flat surfaces of said front wall and coextensive therewith, a cylindrical drum at each end of said framework, and tracks for supporting said drums.

3. A movable dam structure comprising a front wall having three flat angularly disposed adjoining sections, a, skeleton framework substantially hexagonal in cross section and having flat sides, all of substantially the same breadth, one of the sides of said framework abutting the intermediate section of the front wall and being substantially coextensive therewith, and means for rotatably supporting the ends of said framework.

HARRY E. SMYSER. 

